Atlantic / Wea
2003
The War Of Women (Explicit)
About This Album
Joe Firstman's record should be a disaster, but it works. Just look at the cover: it looks like a pretentious Billy Squier or Chris de Burgh cover. And his sound is derivative of so many groups that there is only space to mention a few of them. "Breaking All the Ground" is Black Crowes mixed with the Wallflowers, "Can't Stop Loving You" is Bob Seger (or Frankie Miller) crossed with Ryan Adams, "Car Door (Dancing in the Aisles)" is more Ryan Adams with some Jayhawks thrown in for good measure. Add some Jackson Browne, Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Elton John, some Nicks, some Buckingham, and The War of Women basically plays like a who's who of AOR artists both old and new. The reason it works is that Firstman has what most of these bands and artists have lost (either a long time ago or fairly recently) -- that is, the vitality and rush of energy that comes along with a first record. The songs have the strut of early Black Crowes, the lyrical intensity of early Wallflowers or Counting Crows, the healthy pretension of Ryan Adams without the cooler than thou attitude, the grit and humor of prime Bob Seger. These songs sound like they burst of out Firstman almost against his will; they dance and shout with a refreshing enthusiasm that is really exciting.
Track List (try tracks 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12)

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